Wesley's
Chapel

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The Cathedral of World MethodismThe Foundery Chapel

Now known the world over as the cathedral of
World Methodism, John Wesley described his chapel in London's City
Road as "perfectly neat but not fine".

Wesley's Chapel was designed by the architect
George Dance the Younger, surveyor to the City of London. It was
built in 1778 by the builder Samuel Tooth, a class leader and
local preacher, and was opened by Wesley that same year (on All
Saints' day).Just over 100 years later, in 1899, it was rebuilt
after a fire. John Wesley is buried in the little graveyard behind
the chapel and commemorated by a statue (J A Acton, 1891) on the
forecourt. Wesley's Chapel is situated just outside the City of
London opposite Bunhill Fields, the famous nonconformist cemetery.
The site of the chapel was previously a dump used for disposing of
earth during the construction of St Paul's Cathedral.

The following are features of the Chapel:

The fine mahogany pulpit and Communion rail
are original.

The original pillars supporting the gallery
were ships' masts from the naval dockyard at Deptford, a gift
to Wesley from King George the Third. They were replaced in
1891 by the present pillars of French jasper, the gift of
various Methodist Churches overseas.

The Adam-style ceiling was reputed to be the
widest unsupported ceiling in England at the time it was
built. The present one is a replica, using casts from the
original.

The Foundery Chapel

Entered from the main vestibule of Wesley's
Chapel, this small chapel is named after John Wesley's first base
in London - a former royal cannon foundry, the site of which is
nearby. The chapel contains some of the simple wooden benches used
in the original foundry. And here is Charles Wesley's single
manual pipe organ, which both he and his two musically gifted sons
played.

Museum of Methodism

The comprehensive Museum of Methodism in the crypt
provides an excellent introduction to Methodism from
Wesley to the present day. You can see one of the
world's largest collections of Wesleyan ceramics and
some of the finest Methodist paintings, together with
many early Methodist artefacts. Throughout the year
there are temporary exhibitions and special events to
commemorate and celebrate Methodism past and present.
Methodist involvement in social work, in politics and
in education is represented here, as well as the
ongoing life of the Church itself.

ACCESSWesley's Chapel is
situated just outside the City of London opposite Bunhill
Fields, the famous nonconformist cemetery.

On foot: The public entrance to the complex
including chapel, Museum of Methodism, John
Wesley's House and John Wesley's tomb, is on City
Road, EC1, just a few 100 yards from the junction
with Old Street.

By car: There is virtually no scope for car parking
in the area on weekdays, except for expensive
meters. Parking is possible in side streets on
Saturday afternoons and on Sundays.